9.2 / Module Overview
Working with Evidence and Making Claims: How Do Authors Structure Texts and Develop Ideas?
Texts / Unit 1:“The Tell-Tale Heart” and “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,”
Unit 2:Oedipus the King
Unit 3:“True Crime: The roots of an American obsession,” “How Bernard Madoff Did It,”The Wizard of Lies Epilogue excerpt, and text-based video “$50bn Ponzi Scheme - How Madoff Did It.”
Number of Lessons in Module / 51(including Module Performance Assessment)
Introduction
In Module 9.2, students engage with literature and nonfiction texts that develop central ideas of guilt, obsession, and madness, among others. Building on work with evidence-based analysis and debate in Module 9.1, students will produce evidence-based claims to analyze the development of central ideasand text structure. Students will develop and strengthen their writing by revising and editing, and will refine their speaking and listening skills through discussion-based assessments.
In Unit 9.2.1, students analyze the development and refinement of common central ideas in Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Tell-Tale Heart” and Emily Dickinson’s poem “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain.” The narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart,” disturbed by an old man’s eye, kills the man and hides the body. The speaker in “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,” likens her descent into madness to the stages of a funeral ceremony. These texts offer rich evidence to support claims about point of view, central idea, and text structure, including how point of view and text structure contribute to the development of central ideas. Students will begin to produce evidence-based claims and multi-paragraph writing in unit 9.2.1.
In Unit 9.2.2, students read the Greek tragedy Oedipus the King. The longest text in the module, Oedipus the King allows students to analyze how multiple central ideas are developed and refined throughout the drama; among the many themes developed in the play is Oedipus’s guilt in relation to the discovery of his past. Students will continue to produce multi-paragraph writing and participate in structured discussions to build mastery of speaking and listening skills in anticipation of the End-of-Unit Assessment in Unit 3, an evidence-based discussion of multiple nonfiction texts.
In Unit 9.2.3, students read “True Crime: The roots of an American obsession,” an article from Newsweek that examines humanity’s relationship with guilt; “How Bernard Madoff Did It,” a book review of The Wizard of Lies; and an excerpt from the nonfiction book, The Wizard of Lies, which examines the downfall of white-collar criminal Bernard Madoff. These three texts complement each other in their treatment of guilt and people’s fascination with crime. In this unit, students focus on peer reviewing and revising their writing. The End-of-Unit Assessment in this unit is an evidence-based discussion, which offers students the opportunity to verbally articulate claims. In this forum, students will be asked to make connections across unit texts, particularly in relation to the development of central ideas.
The End-of-Unit Assessments provide scaffolding for the Module Performance Assessment in which students will explore how a common central idea is developed across two module texts: one literary and one informational.
Literacy Skills & Habits
- Read closely for textual details
- Annotate texts to support comprehension and analysis
- Engage in productive evidence-based conversations about text
- Write evidence-based claims
- Utilize rubrics for self-assessment and peer review of writing
- Revise writing
- Generate and respond to questions in scholarly discourse
English Language Arts Outcomes
Yearlong Target Standards
These standards embody the pedagogical shifts required by the Common Core Standards and will be a strong focus in every English Language Arts module and unit in grades 9-12.
CCS Standards: Reading – LiteratureRL.9-10.1 / Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.9-10.4 / Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
RL.9-10.10 / By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
CCS Standards: Reading – Informational Text
RI.9-10.1 / Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.9-10.4 / Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).
RI.9-10.10 / By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 9–10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
CCS Standards: Writing
W.9-10.9 / Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, andresearch.
- Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare]”).
- Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning”).
W.9-10.10 / Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of purposes, tasks, and audiences.
CCS Standards: Speaking & Listening
SL. 9-10.1 / Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCS Standards: Language
L .9-10.4 / Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 9–10 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
- Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy).
- Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, or its etymology.
- Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
Module-SpecificAssessed Standards
These standards will be the specific focus of instruction and assessment, based on the texts studied and proficiencies developed in this module.
CCRA: ReadingCCRA.R.6 / Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
CCRA.R.9 / Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.
CCS Standards: Reading – Literature
RL.9-10.2 / Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL.9-10.5 / Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
CCS Standards: Reading – Informational Text
RI.9-10.2 / Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
RI.9-10.5 / Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text(e.g., a section or chapter).
CCS Standards: Writing
W.9-10.2. a, b, d, f / Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
- Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
- Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
- Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic.
- Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).
W.9-10.5 / Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grades 9–10.)
W.9-10.9.a, b / Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
a. Applygrades 9–10 Reading standardsto literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare]”).
b. Applygrades 9–10 Reading standardsto literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning”).
CCS Standards: Speaking & Listening
SL.9-10.1.a, b, c, d / Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
- Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
- Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making (e.g., informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, presentation of alternate views), clear goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed.
- Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.
- Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented.
SL.9-10.4 / Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
SL.9-10.6 / Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grades 9–10 Language standards 1 and 3 for specific expectations.)
CCS Standards: Language
L.9-10.1 / Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L.9-10.2 / Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
AddressedStandards
These standards will be addressed at the unit or module level, and may be considered in assessment, but will not be the focus of extended instruction in this module.
CCS Standards: Reading – LiteratureNone.
CCS Standards: Reading – Informational Text
RI.9-10.7 / Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g. a person’s life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account.
CCS Standards: Writing
None.
CCS Standards: Speaking & Listening
None.
CCS Standards: Language
L.9-10.4.a, b / Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 9–10 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
- Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy).
L.9-10.5.a, b / Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
- Interpret figures of speech (e.g. euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text.
- Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.
Module Performance Assessment
In this five-lessonPerformance Assessment, students will produce an evidence-based claim about the relationship of central ideas across two module texts: one literary and one informational.
In Lesson 1, students will review their various claims about central idea and structure for each Module 9.2 text to identify patterns or connections within and across texts. In this lesson, students may work individually or in pairs before transitioning to an evidence-based group discussion around their analyses and connections.At the end of the lesson, based on the evidence-based discussion, each student will select a focal central idea for the essay.
In Lesson 2, students will draft a claim about how each author develops the central idea they identified in Lesson 1, and begin to gather relevant textual evidence to support a claim.They will use this evidence to further develop and refine their claims, and prepare to respond to the prompt by organizing their evidence.
In Lesson 3, students will independently write a first draft of their essays using the analysis from the previous day.
In Lesson 4, students will engage in a self-review process to strengthen and refine the responses they drafted in Lesson 3.
In Lesson 5, an optional peer review lesson, students will engage in a peer review process modeled on protocols established in Unit 3, Lesson 4.
Texts
Unit 1: “And then a Plank in Reason, broke, And I dropped down, and down –”Poe, Edgar Allan. (1843). “The Tell-Tale Heart.”
Dickinson, Emily. “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain.”
Unit 2: “a husband from a husband, children from a child”
Sophocles, Oedipus the King, trans. Ian Johnston [Vancouver Island University] accessed November 15, 2013, Reproduced with permission.
Unit 3:“Everybody is guilty of something
Mosley, Walter. “True Crime.” July 31, 2009. Newsweek.
Ahamed, Liaquat. “How Bernard Madoff Did It.” May 13, 2011. The New York Times.
Henriques, Diana. The Wizard of Lies Epilogue. (2011). Times Books, an imprint of Henry Holt and Company. (pp. 345–348).
“$50bn Ponzi Scheme - How Madoff Did It.” November 3, 2012.
9.1 Module-at-a-Glance Calendar
Text / Lessons in the Unit / Literacy Skills and Habits / Assessed and Addressed CCSS / AssessmentsUnit 1: “And then a Plank in Reason, broke, And I dropped down, and down –”
“TheTell-Tale Heart” (Edgar Allan Poe)
“I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,” (Emily Dickinson) / 13 /
- Read closely for textual details
- Annotate texts to support comprehension and analysis
- Engage in productive evidence-based conversations about text
- Provide an objective summary of the text
- Make evidence-based claims
- Participate in collaborative discussions
- Determine meaning of unknown vocabulary
CCRA.R.9
RL.9-10.2
RL.9-10.4
RL.9-10.5
W.9-10.2.b, d
W.9-10.9.a
SL.9-10.1.a
L.9-10.1
L.9-10.2
L.9-10.5.a, b / Mid-Unit:
Students will
participate in an evidence-based discussion in which they will collect and organize evidence using an Evidence Collection Tool.
Students will then respond individually in writing to the following
prompt: Identify a central idea in “The Tell-Tale Heart” and discuss
how point of view and structural choices contribute to the
development of that central idea over the course of the text.
End-of-Unit:
Students will individually write a multi-paragraph essay addressing the following prompt: Identify a central idea shared by both texts, “Ifelt a Funeral, in my Brain,” and “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and make an
original claim about how Dickinson and Poe develop and refine this
idea.
Unit 2: “a husband from a husband, children from a child”
Oedipus the King (Sophocles) / 20 /
- Read closely for textual details
- Annotate texts to support comprehension and analysis
- Provide an objective summary of the text
- Engage in productive evidence-based conversations about text
- Make evidence-based claims
- Revise writing
- Participate in collaborative discussions
- Determine meaning of unknown vocabulary
RL.9-10.2
RL.9-10.4
RL.9-10.5
W.9-10.2.a, b, d, f
W.9-10.5
W.9-10.9.a
SL.9-10.1.a, b, c, d
L.9-10.1
L.9-10.2
L.9-10.4.a, b
L.9-10.5.a, b / Mid-Unit:
Using a tool to organize and scaffold their thinking, students will develop their claim, participate in an evidence-based discussion, and write a response to the following prompt:
What relationship does
Sophocles establish between prophecy and Oedipus’s actions?
End-of-Unit:
Using a tool to organize and scaffold their thinking, students will develop their claim, participate in an evidence-based discussion, and write a response to the following prompt:
How does Sophocles develop the conflict between Oedipus’s guilt and his innocence?
Unit 3:“Everybody is Guilty of Something”
“True Crime” (Newsweek)
New York Times Book Review “How Bernard Madoff Did It,” by Liaquat
Ahamed
The Wizard of Lies
Epilogue (excerpt), by Diana Henriques
“$50bn Ponzi Scheme - How Madoff Did It.” / 13 /
- Read closely for textual details
- Annotate texts to support comprehension and analysis
- Engage in productive evidence-based conversations about text
- Determine meaning of unknown vocabulary
- Provide an objective summary of the text
- Paraphrase and quote relevant evidence from a text
- Write original evidence-based claims
- Critique one’s own writing and peers’ writing
- Revise writing
- Generate and respond to questions in scholarly discourse